Mail-box.



N. WILLIAMS.

MAIL BOX. I APPLIOATIOH FILED APR. 14, 1913.

Patented July 14, 1914.

UNITED STATES.

NATHANIEL WILLIAMS, OF OWOSSO, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BOX.

App1ication filed April 14, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NATHANIEL W'ILLIAMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Owosso, in the county of Shiawasse and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail boxes and more particularly to a rural mail box and the primary object of the invention resides in providing a box of this character which may be quickly and readily opened when desired and which, when properly closed, will be maintained in such position against any casual opening thereof.

A. further object in providing a box, the top and front walls of which are so connected as to be opened and closed simultaneously and a still further object resides in providing an indicating means thereon which, whendisposed to its raised and lowered positions, when the box is closed, will retain the box in its closed osition.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a device which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very efficient and useful in operation.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure l is a perspective view of the device applied to use. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the combined signal and retaining members.

In describing my invention, 1 shall refer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and, in which- 1 indicates a mail receptacle of the usual size and shape used in connection with rural routes, the same comprising a bottom 2, rear and front walls 3 and 4 respectively, end walls 5 and a top 6. The bottom 2, the rear wall 3, and the end walls 5, are rigidly secured together, while the front wall 4 is hingedly secured to the forward edge of the Specification of Letters Patent.

of the invention resides Patented July 14, 1914..

Serial No. 761,078.

bottom 2 and the top 6 is similarly secured to the upper edge of shown the receptacle removably secured in an approved manner to a post 7, which is the usual manner of supporting rural mail receptacles, but if desired, the same may be secured in any other manner to a structure or other support.

I have provided means for simultaneously operating the hinged front wall and the hinged top and to this end, a bell crank lever 8 is pivotally mounted on the outer face of each end wall 5. To the free end of the upper arm of each bell crank lever is pivotally connected a linking arm 9 which also has pivotal connection at its opposite end, with the side edge of the top 6, adjacent the rear edge of the latter. Pivotally connected with the free end of the opposite arm of said bell crank lever, is an additional and longer linking arm 10, said latter arm having its opposite end pivotally connected to a side edge of the front wall 4:, adjacent the upper edge of the latter. It will be seen from this construction that assaid'top 6 is raised and lowered, the bell crank 8 will be simultaneously swung on its pivot to correspondingly lower and raise said front wall 4, through the medium of the linking arms 10 connecting said front wall with the bell crank levers. The bell crank levers and the linking arms are connected together with the respective parts of the device with considerable friction therebetween, so that said top and front wall may be retained in any adjusted position.

The front edge of the top wall 6 projects slightly beyond the front wall l when said top is in its lowered and closed position and an angular strip or plate 11 is secured to the top face of the top 6, so that one arm thereof projects downwardly therefrom, said downwardly projecting arm being slightly spaced from the forward edge of said top. An arm 12 is pivoted intermediate of its ends to the front face of the front wall 1 and is offset so that a portion thereof may be received under this depending angular portion of the plate 11 when said arm 12 is disposed to a vertical position. This ofiset end of the arm 12 has a flag 13 carried thereon, which forms a signal to the postman or occupants of the house to note whether or not mail is contained in the receptacle. The opposite end of the arm 12 is provided with a lateral projection 14 which is adapted to the rear wall 3. I have through storms and frictionally engages the latter. construction, it will be seen that abut one side edge of the depending portion of the plate llYWhen said arm 12 is disposed to the opposite vertical position when the signal thereon is lowered. This projection limits the swinging movement of said arm 12 in 'one direction and in limiting the move ment of this arm in the one direction, a portion of this arm is disposed, under the depending portion of the angular arm 11, and From this in any direction that the arm 12 may be turned to a vertical position, a portion thereof Will engage the depending portion of the angular arm 11, thereby retaining the top and front Walls of the receptacle in their closed posi-.

tions against possibility of casual opening the like. Of course, the receptacle may be readily opened by disposing the arm 12 to a substantially horizontal position and raising th top 6.

In the drawing, I have shown, and hereabove, I have described, the connecting means between the top and the front Wall as being disposed on the outer faces of the end walls, but in practice, this connecting .means may be disposed on the inner faces ofthese Walls,-if found desirable. Infact, various changes in form, proportion and in the minor'details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

From the foregoing construction of my improved devlce,the op- Copies of this patent may be obtained for set end and 4 I of the offset end of the keeper.

description of the five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. 0.

'eration thereof Will be readily understood and it 'Will be seen that I hav provided a device Which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one Which Will be in operation. 1

Having thus described this invention, What is claimed is 1 I A mail box including a bottom, end and rear Walls rigidly secured. thereto, a top very efficient and useful hingedly connected to the upper edge ,ofthe' rear Wall,a front Wall similarly connected to the forward edge of said bottom, means connecting by the same may be operated simultaneously, an-angular keeper carried on the front longitudinal edge of the top and projecting over the edge thereof, a carried on the outer face of said front Wall and having one end adapted to be disposed into engagement With the keeper to lock said top and front Walls in theirclosed po: sition against casual opening thereof, an offset portion formed at the other end of the pivoted member and adapted to engage said keeper and a signal carried by said offheld in position by engagement In testimony whereof Ihereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. NATHANIEL WILLIAMS.

Witnesses: GUSTAV F. FRrEGnL, FRANK R. FoRsTER.

Commissioner of Patents,

said top and front Walls Where;

pivoted member 

